SRAM’s S4 caliper, which used to be exclusive to the Guide Ultimate, will be added to the entire Guide range for 2016.
The Ultimate made it into the 2016 Dirt 100 and we thought, as the name suggests, that brakes don’t get much better. This means it’s pretty awesome news that the stopping power of the Ultimate is being transferred to the cheaper models.
The entire Guide range had four piston calipers before but the S4 caliper uses two pairs of unequally sized pistons that are crucially made from Moly-coated aluminium (as opposed to phenolic plastic). This apparently allows the brakes to run 20°C cooler as well as ensuring consistent engagement and rollback (the speed and distance of disengagement).
The S4 caliper also has Bleeding Edge technology that uses S4 specific adapter plugs for the bleed ports to reduce fluid loss and air contamination.